YouTube Copyright Strikes: Handled

Welcome back, TGN Partners! Last week, we discussed the various ways that you can avoid getting a YouTube copyright strike on your channel. Even the best of us get the occasional strike, however, and you need to know how to combat both the false flags, and the real ones.

Getting a YouTube Copyright Strike

When one of your videos gets blocked, you’re going to want to check for a YouTube copyright strike. A YouTube copyright strike is when someone is making the claim that you are using their copyrighted material on your channel. Whether or not the claim holds any merit will be determined by how you handle the strike.

Removing a YouTube Copyright Strike

There are several different ways that you can go about removing a YouTube copyright strike from your channel, but you should generally follow this list. Each method has it’s own pros and cons, and some of them will take longer than others, but these are the tried and true methods for getting rid of that pesky YouTube copyright strike.

Get outta here you scurvy copyright strike!

First, you’ll want to check to see who filed the claim. YouTube will let you know who filed the claim against your channel, and you can see who filed the claim by looking at the claimed videos in your Video Manager. This area should tell you who made the claim. Once you have figured out who made the claim, you’ll have three courses of action:

Course 1: File a counterclaim.

If the content that has been claimed is fully your own, or could possibly be covered under Fair Use, you can file a counterclaim to the initial claim. This is only an option if you did not use another content creator’s content, or you are using the content under Fair Use. You will want to use caution when filing a counterclaim as the personal information you include in the counterclaim will be visible to the original claimant.

Yeah, we know, it’s kinda creepy, but this is why you must only use this course of action if you truly created the content, or used it properly under Fair Use.

You just got lawyered!

Course 2: Ask for a retraction.

If you did, in fact, use content that was not yours, you can ask the creator for a retraction. Most content creators just want a little recognition for the things they create so contacting them, and saying you will feature/plug them in exchange for using their work, is a very real course of action. Just remember to be courteous and respectful, because insulting a content creator whose work you are using will land you on track for course number three.

Course 3: Wait for the Youtube copyright strike to expire.

This one’s the worst, but, it’s here because everyone on YouTube needs to be aware it exists. Sometimes, the content creator is refusing to retract their claim. Sometimes, the YouTube content strike is being filed by a huge company whose video game trailer footage you used (and they’re currently getting called out over Twitter). Maybe you used something and didn’t realize it was actually copyrighted. Whatever the case, this is the eventual solution to them all, after you’ve exhausted all other avenues, of course.

Why You Should Strive to Handle Copyright Issues

You should actively avoid riding down course number 3. Why? Because if your channel gets a total of three YouTube copyright strikes against it, it’s gone. Finished. Kaput. No more YouTube channel. And that sucks.

Don’t let this meme be your channel.

Copyright infringements can also have an impact on your channel’s earnings. It is extremely important to be aware of your channel and copyright because, ever since the inclusion of ContentID, YouTube can automatically flag your content as someone else’s. While you won’t get a copyright strike, it does mean that revenue from the flagged video will go to the “rightful owner” of the content, leaving you in the dust.

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We’re thinking the moral of all this is to “check yourself before you wreck yourself” when it comes to YouTube copyright strikes. But, hey, if you do happen to wreck yourself, there are courses of action to take, so you’re not completely ruined. Thanks for reading, and we’ll be back next week with a wonderful article about the importance of staying connected, while mobile, with your YouTube fans.